Regressor Of The Fallen Family [EN]: Chapter 9

The Grandia Kingdom was not huge, but traveling from one side to the other still took days. Even riding a fast horse without stopping, it would take Logan three or four days to reach Kyle Territory. So, he knew he would have to sleep on the road for several nights.

Snap. Logan flicked his wrist. Power rushed through him, and a burst of heat flared out, catching the pile of wood. Flames leaped up, turning the darkness orange. He couldn’t control the Force like a mage, shaping fire and water. But he could make a quick burst of heat.

“The Force Core changed everything,” he thought. “I can do things now I couldn’t before.”

Crackle, crackle went the fire.

Logan settled onto the bed of grass he had gathered. The fire crackled like a gentle song, and the stars shone above him like a vast, silent roof. Sleeping outside was new in this life, but in his past life, it was something he had done many times. Actually, this was much better than some of those times, he thought, remembering cold nights and empty stomachs.

“This kingdom isn’t so bad,” Logan thought, looking up at the peaceful stars. “At least it’s safe to travel.”

He remembered stories from the Empire next door, full of bandits, even bandits with the Force. But here, things were different. People respected knights and nobles. It was part of their culture, and the nobles made sure to keep things under control. Logan knew he was stronger than most knights anyway. And with the noble crest on his armor, no simple bandit would dare come near him on the main roads.

Even though he was comfortable, Logan knew he couldn’t relax. “No time for dreaming,” he told himself. “Territory problems first.”

The McLane family was in deep trouble. They owed the Cairos family, his father’s wife’s family, more than 70% of their income. Even with the money from breaking off his engagement – three million gold coins – they would still need Cairos to survive. And that was the real problem. McLane Territory was in a terrible state.

“Financial independence and a stronger army? How am I supposed to do that?” he muttered.

He thought about the past. Two hundred years ago, the McLanes were powerful Counts. They controlled lands all around, rich lands like Tesron, Silvan, Pereta, and the vast Bipros Plains. They were lords of the southwest. But then, his ancestors messed things up. For three generations, they made mistake after mistake. Because of them, the family was demoted, and their lands shrunk. Their own vassals broke away, becoming just as powerful, or even more so. People even talked about taking away their title completely. Only his father becoming a High Knight had saved them. But it was too late.

The best land, the McLane Plains, the kingdom’s best farmland, was gone, taken by a former vassal. Other good lands were lost too. All that was left was this poor, rocky land near the mountains. It was where the family started, where their old graves were. But after becoming Counts, it was just a place to guard against monsters from the mountains. No good crops grew here. No mines, not even copper. They barely made enough money to pay the soldiers who defended against monsters. Truth was, even with Cairos’s help, the McLane family was barely holding on.

“Even if we win this territory war,” Logan thought, “we’ll just be back begging Cairos for money again.”

He had to break free from that trap. He needed a lot of money, more money than he could imagine right now. The money he had felt like nothing. So, he had a plan to make much, much more. He wasn’t a businessman, not really. But he knew someone who was. Someone he trusted, someone who would be very successful in the future.

“It has to be something that brings in money all the time,” he thought.

He needed a way to make a lot more money, and someone smart to manage it and make it grow. Both of them were in Kyle, the big trading city he was riding towards.

“And I need to buy things for the territory war too.”

Going to Kyle was important for so many reasons. He planned to spend more than half of his money there.

“Money for Philip, and money for supplies… Worth at least 1.5 million gold.”

Dwayne would be furious if he knew what he was planning.

* * *

“Welcome to Kyle, biggest trading city in the kingdom!” a guard called out.

He checked Logan’s badge, a small silver flame, then stepped back and saluted. As Logan rode through the city gates, noise exploded around him. It was loud, a jumble of shouts and calls.

“Wow,” Logan thought. “So this is Kyle.”

“Silk underwear from the Empire, only 10 gold!”

“Best leather from the North! Everyone in Grandia wants it!”

“Fresh fruit, sweet fruit from the South!”

Logan looked around, a little surprised. McLane Territory really was quiet and simple compared to this. In McLane, the castle was mostly for soldiers and important people. Everyone else lived in small villages outside. He had never seen so much happening inside a castle town before. Well, not in this life anyway. He remembered the huge, dark markets of the Empire’s City of Eternal Night, but that was a lifetime ago.

“No time for sightseeing,” he told himself. He had things to do. Logan hurried on, pushing through the crowds.

‘Third alley from the government office. Kyle’s Night.’ He remembered it well. Good, it was still there.

‘Kyle’s Night’ was an inn and a tavern, tucked away from the main street. It was huge, bigger than any inn he’d seen on the main street – like a five-story mansion. It was so grand, it could have been a noble’s house. A sign hung outside: ‘Kyle’s Night – Inn.’

Logan pushed open the door and stepped inside.

Bang!

“More beer, landlord!”

“Bring me half a boar!”

The noise hit him like a wave. The tavern was packed, even though it was only midday. Rough-looking men, mostly mercenaries, filled the room, drinking and shouting.

‘Just like I remember,’ Logan thought. This wasn’t a fancy inn. It was loud, rough, and full of mercenaries.

“Hey, girlie, busy tonight? How much?”

Smack!

“You pig! Want to die?”

“You…!”

Crash!

“Hahaha! Fight! Fight!”

“Loser pays for the damage! Don’t fight if you’re scared!”

“Woooaaah! Hairy guy’s gonna win!”

The tavern was a riot of noise. The smell of roasting meat mixed with beer and sweat, a strong, thick smell that filled the air. Logan walked straight towards the counter.

A friendly, round-bellied man stood behind the counter, which was also the bar. He smiled at the new customer.

“Welcome! What can I get for you? A room? A drink? Something to eat?”

“Accommodation for three days, including breakfast.”

“Five gold per night. Meals are extra. Is that acceptable?”

“Acceptable. And…”

Logan had a specific reason for seeking out this noisy inn.

‘Like any innkeeper catering to mercenaries, he’s bound to be well-informed about the happenings in the territory.’

The innkeeper likely had connections to every guild and group in Kyle.

“I have a small favor to ask.”

“Yes? Well, if it’s something I can do, of course.”

The innkeeper started to reply in a rough voice, but then…

Clink.

The moment a five-gold coin was placed on the counter, his attitude changed completely.

“Ask anything. I will do everything in my power to help.”

“I’m new to this area, and I’m looking for someone.”

“Ah, yes. That’s my specialty.”

His main goals in Kyle were to find someone and take on a job.

Since the job could be done at any time, it seemed best to find the person first.

And the quickest way to find someone in this city was to come here.

Logan knew Philip Claude was a famous merchant from the Grandia Kingdom, now part of the powerful Ares Empire. He had heard stories of Philip’s rise and fall…

The strongest nation on the continent was the Ares Empire, a nation with a powerful government where anyone with ability could become an official, no matter their age, gender, or where they came from.

Philip Claude, from the Grandia Kingdom, was a prime example. He was one of the Empire’s top ten tycoons and was nicknamed ‘Golden Grub.’

He was a great merchant who moved the Empire and the greatest war merchant on the continent. Refugees from the Grandia Kingdom called him a traitor.

People called him a golden merchant to his face, and a golden grub behind his back. Despite the insults, he supported the refugees from his homeland and created the Grandia Autonomous Territory by using his gold and power.

‘And he secretly funded our independence movement as well.’

Logan knew that his hometown was the Kyle Territory of the Grandia Kingdom. He remembered that, no matter his politics, Philip’s skill and trustworthiness were known throughout the continent.

‘Could that really be him?’

Logan tilted his head and approached the young man.

“Dirty bastards… What will happen now… Damn it.”

Philip lifted his head, afraid he would cry more if he kept looking down. The sky was clear, but that made him feel even worse.

He had heard stories of trading companies going bankrupt overnight because of fraud, but he never thought it would happen to him. It felt like he was all alone in a different world.

‘Should I just die…?’

Philip smiled weakly and lowered his head again, thinking about this as he had many times in the past month. If he were going to die, he would have done it already. He was too scared to even do that.

He wondered if he should go for a walk to clear his head, but he felt too hopeless to move.

“Excuse me. Are you Mr. Philip Claude?”

A strange voice spoke to Philip. He looked up and saw a young man with red hair and red eyes. His red eyes were fixed on Philip, full of eagerness.

The gaze was so intense that he barely noticed the dirty, old armor the man was wearing.

“Yes, that’s me… Who are you?”

As he nodded, the gaze grew stronger.

“Ah, so it is you. I thought it was you. You look like the pictures I’ve seen.”

The young man smiled and moved closer. Philip stepped back.

Philip had seen that intense emotion many times as a merchant. It was greed. This feeling, which he rarely saw so quickly, made Philip think of bad things.

He knew he couldn’t repay his debts, even if he sold his last small building.

He expected to become a slave, but…

The words of the loan sharks flashed through his mind, sending shivers down his spine: ‘Gray eyes are unique, you know. They’ll fetch a higher price.’

The timing was perfect, and the man’s old equipment made him look like a mercenary thug.

‘Could it be…?’

Philip prayed it wasn’t true. He felt like he was about to lose his last bit of dignity.

Philip straightened his torn collar and hunched his shoulders. He felt like the bright red eyes were touching his body, making him shiver.

“W-wait! The money… not ready yet! Building sale… three days! Come back then! Please!”

“Ah, I didn’t come to collect debts…”

“Excuse me?”

“What are you talking about…”

“Ah, anyway, the proceeds from the sale haven’t come in yet! Please go back!”

Philip waved his hands and shouted, causing the young man to chuckle and shake his head.

“I’m not here to get money, but to invest money.”

“Excuse me?”

Philip was surprised.

“…To me?”

“That’s right.”

“…To this failed trading company?”

“Yes. So it will be easier to invest, right?”

The young man looked confident and smiled. The heat in his red eyes felt different than before. Philip finally understood.

‘He’s just a crazy bastard…’